Amazon RDS MySQL Database - Relational Database Engine Running on a Cloud

Microsoft's release of Azure SQL Database in June has pushed Amazon.com to extend its existing cloud based web services business by adding a relational database offering to their line up. Amazon Relational Database Service (Amazon RDS) announced today brings them into direct competition with Microsoft.

A scalable MySQL offering based on a reliable cloud service could be a great asset to many new startups that want to use open source software for their backend data needs. With this integrated option with the other Amazon Web Services if you need to increase the processing power or storage allocation available to your database it's a few clicks away. Amazon RDS takes care of all management functions including backup, patches, and upgrades.

With Amazon basing this service on a widely used open source relational database platform MySQL makes their service a great choice for many existing applications as well as creating affordable options for startups to outsource their database needs as they grow into them over time. Amazon offers a database import guide to assist those who are interested in moving their current database into the Amazon RDS.

Amazon RDS is being offered in many different sizes including, small, large, extra large, double extra large, and quadruple extra large. These labels won't mean much to most of us so they have also provided an instance sizing guide to help you with this setup decision.

This new product offering brings something fresh to Amazon Web Services and will likely give Microsoft some real competition with Azure SQL. Azure SQL doesn't allow you to use all of your existing code that is supported with the other SQL products. Because of some of the initial limitations of their offering Amazon may take the lead in this new market even though they are late to the market.